Chinese search giant Baidu has launched a new mobile AI helper called Xinxiang on Tuesday, April 23. This free app is currently available for Android smartphones in China through app stores like Tencent Myapp, Huawei AppGallery, and Baidu Mobile Assistant. According to Reuters, Xinxiang aims to provide more efficient task assistance than traditional chatbots by offering personalized responses and handling complex tasks independently.
What Makes Xinxiang Special?
An AI agent like Xinxiang is different from a regular chatbot. While a chatbot simply answers questions, an AI agent can make decisions and take actions on its own to complete tasks for you.
The app is currently under review for Apple’s App Store, so iPhone users will need to wait a bit longer. Baidu offers Xinxiang for free now but might charge money for some features later.
What Can Xinxiang Do?
Xinxiang specializes in two main areas: analyzing information and planning travel. The AI can access your files and data (with your permission) to help complete tasks more effectively.
- Works independently to achieve goals like booking travel
- Uses team-based AI approach (called multi-agent collaboration) to solve complex problems
- Works faster than regular chatbots according to Baidu’s claims
- Gives deeper, more personalized answers to questions
AI Agents vs. Traditional Chatbots
| Traditional Chatbots | AI Agents (like Xinxiang) |
|---|---|
| Just suggest things and answer questions | Can take action and make decisions on their own |
| Need specific instructions for each step | Can figure out steps to reach a goal by themselves |
| Work on one question at a time | Use multiple AI helpers working together (multi-agent collaboration) |
This represents a significant step in how we interact with AI on our phones. Instead of just asking questions, users can now delegate entire tasks to the AI.
The launch shows how AI technology is quickly evolving from simple chatbots to more helpful assistants. For everyday users in China, Xinxiang could save time by handling complex tasks that would normally require multiple apps and manual effort.
